It ain’t over until the money’s in the bank. But one wrong, long fought, may soon be righted. Justice done.
Years ago, Gibson’s Bakery won a judgment of $38 million against Oberlin College because of the Ohio school’s role in harassing the bakery and defaming it as “racist” after a 2016 shoplifting incident.
The shopkeeper of the family-donuts, racist, college bakery, Allyn Gibson, caught students trying to steal wine. They attacked him. They were black.
For whatever reasons, students on campus chugged into uproar mode, accusing the bakery of racism as if it prefers to be robbed only by persons of pallor.
The shoplifters eventually pled guilty and acknowledged that the bakery is not racist.
The students’ irrationality was bad enough. Then Dean of Students Meredith Raimondo chimed in, working with protesters to defame the bakery. The school canceled its contract with Gibson’s and would claim in legal filings that the bakery’s “archaic chase-and-detain policy regarding suspected shoplifters was the catalyst for the protests.”
In 2017, the bakery sued Oberlin and won.
Oberlin has been appealing. Now it has lost in the Ohio Supreme Court, which refused to hear the appeal.
Only the U.S. Supreme Court can save Oberlin now. But according to the Legal Insurrection blog, the chances that it will even consider the case are slim.
Is $38 million the right award? Perhaps Oberlin should pay Gibson’s $50 million. Or a cool billion.
But Oberlin deserves to be punished just as Gibson’s deserves to be compensated.
May this finally happen.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
Illustration created with DALL‑E
—
See all recent commentary
(simplified and organized)
3 replies on “Justice (Almost) Done”
Calling racism “social justice” doesn’t legitimize it. Those that persecute in pursuit of virtue signaling forget that virtue ceases when signaled.
An expensive lesson. Some learn no other way.
Well said, Rick.
Much as Melissa Click lost her position at the University of Missouri but was given a position at Gonzaga University, Meredith Raimondo left Oberlin College but was given a position at Oglethorpe University. She was one of the defendents in the lawsuit — qualified immunity not being a thing when it comes to functionaries of private colleges — and is on a financial hook; but her academic cult looks-out for its members.